Use Of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag Research Articles

Experimental Study by Use of GGBS as Partial Replacement of Cement on Compressive Strength of Concrete

Abstract: Compressive strength may be increased by using mineral admixtures by replacing some amount of the cement in concrete. Several widely used mineral admixtures include silica fume (SF), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and fly ash (FA). In this paper, GGBS admixture is employed to replace cement at percentages of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 35%. Concrete comes in two varieties, M-30 and M-35, which are both utilized. The Different percentage of GGBS are tested in order to see how they affect the concrete's strength. According to the findings, GGBS does have a role in raising concrete's compressive strength. At 20% cement substitution, GGBS improves the compressive strength of both concrete mixes. Then, they lowered the concrete's compressive strength.

Influence of ground granulated blast furnace slag on the dispersivity and mechanical property of dispersive soil

This paper focused on the influence of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) on the dispersivity and mechanical properties of dispersive soil. Different contents of GGBFS, varying from 1% to 10%, were mixed in dispersive soil and curried for 28 days. Eroded soil weight and flow speed during pinhole test under different water heads were recorded. Dispersivity of soil samples was determined by pinhole test and two kinds of crumb test. Unconfined compression test and splitting test were conducted to determine the compressive and tensile strength of soil samples. Electronic conductivity and pH were also measured during curing time for all soil samples. Microstructural and mineral analyses of soil samples were performed by SEM (with EDS), XRD, and TG/DTG tests. A natural dispersive soil sample was selected to validate the improving effectiveness of GGBFS on the dispersivity and mechanical property of dispersive soil. Experiments show that water stability, compressive strength and tensile strength of dispersive soil are significantly improved with the increase in the mixed content of GGBFS in soil. Results indicate that GGBFS is capable of improving both the dispersivity and mechanical properties of dispersive soil, and this effect is more obvious with the increase in curing time. Appropriate curing time is encouraged during the construction process to intensify the improving effect of GGBFS. Enhancing of water stability of dispersivity soil by GGBFS would ensure the safety and normal operation of soil constructions in geotechnical, agricultural, and hydraulic engineering, which could be a win-win application in the future. The use of GGBFS can effectively reduce the environmental problems caused by the use of traditional high carbon emission materials such as cement and lime.

Macro and micro properties of the cement-based material mixed with coral powder and GGBFS under seawater condition

On island, the use of discarded coral reef is a way to resolve the lack of raw material for preparing concrete. Discarded coral reef can not only be used as aggregate, but be ground to powder to replace cement. Since the cement-based material prepared with discarded coral reef is exclusively used on island, the property of the cement-based material exposed to seawater condition should be studied. In this study, discarded coral reef is ground into coral powder (CP). CP is used together with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) to replace Portland cement (PC) partially to prepare a mixture with good performance and the minimum use of PC. The compressive strength, solid phase composition and pore structure of the cement-based material exposed to seawater condition are investigated systematically. The results show that the addition of CP decreases the fluidity of the cement mortar since it has a more rough surface than other raw materials. Although the use of CP decreases the compressive strength of cement mortar, the coupled use of GGBFS can largely mitigate the strength loss of the cement mortar by comparing 9 mixtures. When the specimens are exposed to seawater, the strength of cement mortar only decreases slightly, but the pore structure of cement paste is densified. It suggests that the use of CP and GGBFS together in the concrete can meet the construction of island; the compressive strength of the sample made with 25% CP and 25% GGBFS is around 54 MPa after exposed to seawater to 1 year.

Improvement of CBR of gypsum subgrade soil by cement kiln dust and granulated blast-furnace slag

Abstract Most construction projects face the problem of a high percentage of gypsum in the soil. To get rid of the unwanted effects of gypsum, which lead to the dissolution of gypsum in the presence of water and the settlement of the foundations of buildings and subsoil of roads, the researchers used several materials that can be added to the soil to improve its properties in resisting loads. This research presents a study of the effect of adding cement kiln dust (CKD) and ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) on the California Bearing ratio (CBR) of gypsum sandy soil. The percentages of 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% of additives by the weight of the soil sample were collected, and CBR tests were performed on dry and soaked samples. The main results showed that the ideal CKD ratio, which improves the CBR soil in a dry state, is 5% and in a soaked condition is 7.5%. Also, CBR in dry and soaked states increases slightly when the GGBS percentage increases reaching 10%. The use of GGBS gives an increment in CBR, which is around 1.6 times in a dry condition and 4 times in a soaked state.

A review of GGBS use in the UK and its role in reducing embodied carbon

The current approach to the carbon assessment of concrete uses a system boundary limited to a given project. Where cement replacements such as ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) are used to reduce carbon, the benefit to the project relies on the assumption that GGBS was a waste product. However, estimation of the historical production and use of GGBS in the UK shows that it has been used in concrete to its maximal extent for two decades or more, mainly due to its low cost and beneficial effects on the physical properties of concrete. Therefore, while specifying GGBS on individual projects gives a carbon saving within the project boundary, it does not reduce emissions at a national level. Given the importance of GGBS from a technical perspective, it is proposed that its use should be focused on these technical benefits, rather than as a low-carbon cement replacement. This, along with likely future supply issues, illustrates the urgency of moving past our dependency on GGBS and focusing on alternatives such as calcined clays, pozzolanas and limestone fines to reduce the carbon intensity of concrete.

Synthesis of sustainable one-part geopolymers for well cementing applications

This work describes the synthesis of a novel one-part granite-based geopolymer mix design for well cementing applications by screening and improving the early-age performance of the geopolymers. The dissolution rate of granite and potassium silicate (K2SiO3) is slightly enhanced when they are blended, compared to the situation when granite was mixed with alkali solution. It was revealed that the chemical composition of granite requires modification. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) was incorporated up to 90% of total weight (wt.%) within the solid precursor to find out the optimum design, based on its effect on fluid-state and solid-state properties. Pumpability and strength development of the slurries were studied to establish the applicability of the mix designs. To further characterize the final products, the mineralogy and morphology of the specimens were examined. The use of GGBFS, to modify the chemical composition of the granite, reduces the pumping time significantly. Moreover, the use of GGBFS increases the density and initial consistency value of the slurry proportionally to the increase in GGBFS content. Additionally, a threshold effect was observed in the mechanical strength development. The higher the GGBFS content (up to 50 wt%), the higher the early-age compressive strength. The highest measured compressive strength for the neat rock-based geopolymer recipe was around 6 MPa within 1-day to 7-day for a mix of 47 wt% GGBFS to the solid precursor, while its optimized mix was around 12 MPa within the same period.

Effect of ground granulated blast furnace slag on the properties of hybrid‐fiber‐reinforced high‐strength concrete under normal and high temperatures

AbstractIn this paper, the residual mechanical properties, mass loss, and cracking behavior of hybrid‐fiber‐reinforced high‐strength concrete (HFRHSC) containing 0%, 30%, and 60% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in normal and high temperatures have been investigated. Chopped aramid and steel fibers at 0%, 0.5%, and 1% by volume, either individually or in different combinations, were used to reinforce the HSC. In total, 24 different mix proportions were designed. The experimental results showed that the residual compressive strength of the majority of specimens increased at 400°C while this property of all of them decreased at 800°C. Also, the test indicated that the use of GGBFS did not reduce flexural and compressive strength of HSC significantly, and in some mixed designs, the presence of GGBFS slightly increases the strength. Moreover, another result that can be inferred is that although the utilization of hybrid fibers in concrete increases flexural strength, it may decrease its compressive strength. In addition, the residual flexural strength of most specimens was reduced at 400°C, but this property of all samples decreased at 800°C. The results showed that the simultaneous presence of GGBFS and hybrid fibers can improve the flexural strength of most specimens at different temperatures.

Synergistic effects of silica fume and slag on the microstructure and mechanical behaviors of ultra-high-strength and high-ductility cementitious composites

This work evaluated the synergistic effects of silica fume (SF) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) binders on the microstructure and mechanical behavior of Ultra-High-Strength and High-Ductility Cementitious Composites (UHS-HDCC). The potential mechanisms of the synergistic effects of GGBS and SF on the fresh flow, mechanical properties, and microstructure of UHS-HDCC were investigated. The results indicated that the use of GGBS instead of SF could effectively improve the flowability of fresh mortar and UHS-HDCC mixtures. The hydration process of cement and the heat of hydration were delayed and reduced when the content of GGBS was below 25 %. Moreover, reducing the SF while increasing the GGBS reduced the compressive strength of the composites but had little effect on the flexural strength. The compressive strength of all specimens remained above 120 MPa. All specimens achieved strain-hardening behavior after the initial cracking of the matrix in uniaxial tension and four-point bending, and had a variety of cracking characteristics. Furthermore, the range of ultimate tensile strain capacity and mid-span deflection were 3.26 %–5.79 % and 16.73 mm–33.05 mm, respectively. The S10G30 specimen reached a maximum tensile strain energy of 414.6 kJ/m3. As the level of GGBS replacing SF increased, the number of cracks in the tensile region or the compressive bending surface of UHS-HDCC specimens increased, while the crack width and crack spacing decreased. The relatively smooth sidewalls of the fiber tunnels and fiber exit points meant that matrix fragments attached to the fiber surfaces were caused by matrix fragments generated throughout the matrix cracking process. Besides, the interfacial frictional stress and slip hardening coefficient acquired from the single fiber pullout test reduced with increasing levels of GGBS replacing SF.

Elaboration of a Self-Compacting mortar based on concrete demolition waste incorporating blast furnace slag

The high consumption of natural sand in the manufacture of mortar and concrete has inevitably led to serious ecological impacts. On the other hand, the steel industry is always accompanied by the production of unused by-products such as granulated blast furnace slag. This research aims to use a fine fraction of construction and demolition (C&D) waste as a substitute for natural sand and, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) as a substitute for cement for the manufacture of self-compacting mortars. 15 mortars are formulated where 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% natural sand (NS) are replaced by recycled concrete sand (RCS) and 0, 20 and 40% ordinary cement are replaced by GGBFS. The obtained results show that it is possible to manufacture self-compacting mortars with RCS, with an optimum of 50%. The use of this type of sand affects negatively the porosity and capillarity water absorption of mortars; this can be compensated by the use of GGBFS as a cement substitute. A 20% slag substitution rate can also improve the long-term compressive strength.

Effect of hydraulic binders’ addition on trace metals stabilization in the S/S process of dredged sediments

The Solidification/Stabilization method for dredged sediments remediation can be very effective for the immobilization of trace metal (TM) pollutants. The ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is largely used in this process. Nevertheless, the mechanical performance of treated sediments can be considerably improved at long term using ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as was shown in (Gutsalenko et al., 2018). Therefore, it is worth investigating whether this new binder is also relevant in terms of stabilization and mechanisms involved in this process. To meet this objective, leaching test, total attack, sequential extraction (SE) and X-ray Adsorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES) experiments measurements were performed. The results of the leaching tests conducted as part of the study are promising for the use of GGBS in the treatment of the real case project Dublin sediment and it outperforms the OPC-based treatment.. The sequential extraction method was applied to evaluate the potential risks of toxic elements according to their repartition in the Dublin sediment matrix and predicts the release of metals under different environmental conditions. It shows a lower perturbation rate of pollutants with the GGBS-based binder. Finally, XANES experiments demonstrate changes in the chemical environment of Zn and Cu after the treatment of the sediment with OPC compared to the GGBS rich binder. Consequently, this study finds that it is more pertinent to use the GGBS-based binder in terms of trace metal stabilization.

The effect of materials and curing system on the behavior of self-compacting geopolymer concrete

Abstract The aim of the present work was to investigate and achieve the optimum compressive strength of self-compacting geopolymer concrete (SCGC). Fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) are used at different ratios as binder materials to produce the SCGC mixes. Alkaline solution was a mix of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide. Three different ratios of binder materials were used to produce SCGC (0FA-100GGBFS; 50FA-50GGBFS; and 100FA-0GGBFS). The total binder weight was 500 kg/m3 within a constant alkali–binder proportion (0.5). Two curing conditions were used, at ambient environment and heat curing at 110°C for 24 h. The compressive strength and fresh properties of SCGC are evaluated. The compressive strength is utilized to demonstrate the mechanical properties of SCGC. The compressive strength is investigated at two ages (7 and 28 days). The results showed that the use of GGBFS had a negative effect on the fresh properties of SCGC. However, it has a significant impact on the mechanical behavior of the SCGC. SCGC’s early strength is heavily involved in heat curing. The compressive strength of 100% GGBFS in the ambient environment after 28 days was more than that of GGBFS cured at 110°C. The optimum eco-friendly mix is 50FA-50GGBFS.

Engineering performance and microstructure characteristics of natural marine sediment stabilized with quicklime-activated GGBS under different lime proportions

The safe treatment of marine sediment has been a global-scale challenge. To reduce the environmental impacts associated with Portland cement (PC), an environment-friendly binder consisting of quicklime and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) was used in the stabilization/solidification of natural marine sediment. Although the combination of lime and GGBS is used to stabilize the sediment with very low water content or moderate water content in previous studies, the natural marine sediment with such a high water content has not been treated by the quicklime–GGBS binder up to now. Therefore, a series of tests were performed to study the physicochemical, mechanical, and microstructural characteristics of quicklime–GGBS stabilized sediments. The results indicated that the quicklime–GGBS solidified/stabilized sediment had a similarly low water content at a proper quicklime-binder ratio to that of PC-stabilized sediments. The pH of quicklime–GGBS solidified sediments gradually decreased as the quicklime-binder ratio decreased and the curing period increased. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of quicklime–GGBS stabilized sediments was 1.4 times higher than that of the corresponding PC-stabilized sediments using the same test conditions. The hydration products effectively bonded the sediment particles and filled the pores between the sediment particles, facilitating the improvement of the UCS of the quicklime–GGBS stabilized sediment. The findings indicated that the use of GGBS and a small amount of quicklime can replace PC to stabilize natural marine sediment with high water content. This would be to provide binder dosage and component proportion for the field application of quicklime–GGBS binder and to significantly improve the economical and environmental effects of the treatment of high water content sediment. HIGHLIGHTS Innovative lime-activated GGBS is used as a binder in the improvement of sediment with ultrahigh water content. The water content, pH, and UCS of lime–GGBS stabilized sediments are contrastively studied. The engineering performances of lime-GGBS stabilized sediments are better than those of PC-stabilized sediment. An optimal and appropriate lime-binder ratio is suggested. Microstructure mechanism of lime–GGBS stabilized sediment is revealed through series of micro-tests.

Application of Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) approach in prediction of compressive strength of eco-friendly concrete

Concrete is the most often used material in the building sector. The use of ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) and recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) in concrete reduces its negative environmental impact. However, increasing the number of ingredients in concrete complicates the prediction of its compressive strength. This research aims to develop a machine learning model for predicting the compressive strength of eco-friendly concrete using Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS). MARS is a well-known technique for creating predictive modeling equations using experimental data. A data set of 161 concrete specimens was obtained to train and evaluate the machine learning algorithms for this work. The findings of the MARS prediction algorithm were compared to those of the Support Vector Machine and the Random Forest regression algorithms (black-box models) using the training set. A hyperparameter tuning procedure was applied to find the optimal MARS, RF, and SVM model parameters. The results of 5-fold cross-validation indicate that the MARS optimal model has the highest coefficient of determination (R2), with a value equal to 0.889, and the lowest Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) measure, with a value equal to 4.110 MPa. For our case, the performance metrics measures proved the superiority of the MARS model when compared with RF and SVM. The final MARS optimal prediction equations were built using a full training set and were then evaluated using unseen data (testing set). Our model has the potential to help civil engineers in designing durable infrastructures.

Effects of Ground-Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag Used as Filler in Dense Graded Asphalt

Industrial waste materials are increasingly being used in asphalt to improve pavement quality and reduce environmental impacts. The aim of this research was to test the pavement distress-related effects of using ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) as a filler in hot mix asphalt. There is potential for GGBFS to be integrated into Western Australian (WA) asphalt pavements. GGBFS was used as a replacement for the conventional hydrated lime (HL) filler used in mix designs of the Main Roads WA specifications. A control mixture (1.5% HL) was compared with three prototype mixtures containing 1.5%, 3% or 5% GGBFS instead of HL. To investigate their characteristics, we conducted wheel tracking tests, four-point bending tests, and assessments with an asphalt mixture performance tester (AMPT). The findings support the use of GGBFS in asphalt pavements. The mixture with 3% GGBFS had the best fatigue life, rutting resistance and AMPT results.

Modelling the impact of climat change on a novel Irish Concrete Bridge

This paper assesses the impact of climate change on the novel repair of Ferrycarrig Bridge, a reinforced concrete (RC) marine bridge on Ireland’s south-east coast. Five unique repair solutions were applied to the seven crosshead beams on Ferrycarrig Bridge during works in 2007. The two solutions under examination herein involved replacement of the concrete around the sides of the crosshead beams with either 100% Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete or concrete in which 60% of the cement was made up of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and 40% OPC. Changes to environmental policy mean that the use of GGBS within RC structures is becoming increasingly popular. Thus, understanding its performance over time is imperative. Chloride ingress and concrete crack modelling are completed herein to compare how climate change will affect the service life of the crosshead beams in which the OPC and OPC+GGBS concrete solutions are applied. The results stemming from this modelling are used to quantify the impact of reinforcement corrosion and concrete deterioration on the crosshead beams’ structural capacity. The findings indicate that without consideration of climate change, the OPC+GGBS concrete solution utilised in Ferrycarrig Bridge is 4.75 times more resistant to severe cracking caused by chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion than the OPC concrete solution. However, the durability of the OPC+GGBS concrete is more adversely affected by climate change with a lifetime reduction of 15.8% for the worst climate scenario as compared with a reduction of just 2.7% for the OPC concrete, reducing relative merit from 4.75 to 4.11.

Effect of ground granulated blast furnace slag on cement hydration and autogenous healing of concrete

Concrete is an open composite system, which allows the incorporation of various cementitious or inert materials as cement or aggregate components, thereby offering the possibility of creating a smart concrete. This study investigated the autogenous healing of concrete blended with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber in terms of flexural strength recovery and crack sealing behavior. It was found that 50% GGBS-blended concrete showed good autogenous healing ability and the addition of PVA fibers indirectly further increased the effectiveness of autogenous healing in concrete. The hydration of cement paste was investigated for its relationship with autogenous healing using isothermal calorimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The exterior of GGBS-blended concrete was prone to carbonation which could affect its autogenous ability. The hydration rate and ultimate degree of hydration of GGBS-blended concrete were lower than those of pure Portland cement concrete, suggesting that the use of GGBS provides a greater potential for autogenous healing both in the short and long term.

GGBS Use in Concrete as Cement Constituent: Strength Development and Sustainability Effects – Part 1

This study, third in the series, following from ground limestone and Class F fly ash, evaluates, as a cement constituent, the effect of using ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) on the strength development of concrete, and consequently its embodied carbon dioxide (CO2e). The paper has been built from systematically analysing, evaluating and modelling the extensive data-matrix developed, having 85,099 data points, from the information sourced from 663 studies published in English, during 1974 to 2020, by 1,672 authors, working in 718 institutions in 49 countries, globally. It is shown that, at a given water/cement ratio, in comparison to Portland cement (PC), the use of GGBS results in a reduction in 28-day concrete strength, which increases with GGBS content, at a rate determined by the strength of concrete, GGBS fineness, and curing of concrete. It is also shown that, as to achieve a 28-day design strength, a lower water/cement ratio is required with a PC/GGBS blended cement than PC, this will reduce the actual CO2e savings that can be realised with the use of GGBS as cement constituent in manufacturing concrete. Finally, it is shown that GGBS is more effective in lowering CO2e of concrete than FA and GLS.

Role of mineral admixtures on strength and durability of high strength self compacting concrete: An experimental study

This research reports the experimental investigation about the role of mineral admixtures on strength and durability properties of self compacting concrete (SCC) with a view to decrease cement consumption. For this experimentation nine mixes are prepared, using alccofine and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as mineral admixtures for M60, M80 and M100 grade SCC. The fresh and hardened properties of these mixes are examined by varying both water-binder ratio and admixtures. Fresh properties of SCC like, filling ability flowability and passing ability are investigated by using slump flow, T500 mm, V-funnel, J-ring, U-box & L-box tests as per EFNARC standards. Hardened properties of SCC like compressive, split tensile and flexural strengths are investigated as per Indian standard IS-516:1959. This study also reports the durability properties of SCC, like creep and shrinkage. Test results indicate that, use of GGBS and alccofine as mineral admixture enhances fresh and hardened properties for all the mixes and helps in reducing the cement consumption and thus advantageous in lowering the cost of construction using SCC. Literature lacks regarding studies, on creep and shrinkage in context to high grade SCC; authors believe that their investigation will add value to the body of knowledge and will be beneficial for both practitioners and researchers.

Characterization of concrete containing RCA and GGBFS: Mechanical, microstructural and environmental properties

This study presents the results of an experimental/analytical investigation on the development of eco-efficient concrete. In this study, natural aggregates (NA) were replaced by recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) with amounts of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% by volume. In addition, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was replaced with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) with amounts of 0, 15, 30, and 45% by volume. Workability and the hardened state properties such as the ultrasonic pulse velocity, the water absorption, the compressive strength, the splitting tensile strength, the flexural strength, and the impact resistance of twenty mixtures were assessed. This study also includes global warming potential (GWP) assessment. The results show that the use of RCA and GGBFS had a negative effect on workability, compressive strength and impact resistance and positive effect on GWP. Finally, given the results of the optimization, the use of RCA up to 50 vol% and the use of GGBFS up to 30 vol% is recommended.

Effects of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag and Recycled Coarse Aggregates in Compressive Strength of Concrete

Innovations in concrete technology are developing and increasing rapidly. Modifications were made in concrete research to produce concrete that is strong, economically valuable, and environmentally friendly. This can be done by using concrete waste as a concrete substitution material -which is coarse aggregate- and slag waste as a concrete substitution material for cement. In this research, the characteristic properties of these materials and the effects of their use on the strength of concrete will be studied. The compositions of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) varied by 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% with the coarse aggregate composition of 40% against natural aggregate. The use of 50% GGBFS gave the compressive strength of 24.8 MPa. The use of GGBFS will result the economic value of concrete and reduce CO2 emissions.